We’ve all been spammed by sketchy text messages warning us that our debit card has been locked due to suspicious activity or telling us that we have a package waiting for us. Most of these messages include links that reroute users to shady webpages asking for personal information — a common tactic used by cyber criminals to steal their identity or, worse, empty their bank accounts. Now, the Federal Communications Commission is finally doing something about it with new rules meant to protect consumers from scam texts.
The FCC has proposed two new rules to combat the seemingly endless scam text scourge. Under the new regulations, US telecom providers will need to take the necessary measures to block robotexts that are “highly likely to be illegal.” These messages can originate from invalid, unallocated, or unused phone numbers, according to regulators.
The new regulatory order also seeks to prohibit messages from phone numbers identified by government agencies as unsuitable for SMS transmission. Meanwhile, the FCC has directed carriers to establish a point of contact where text senders can report erroneously blocked messages.
Robotexts are one of the most pervasive scourges in modern communications that refuse to go away. The FCC reports that between 2015 and 2022, the number of robotext complaints increased from around 3,300 to 18,900 per year.
“Scam artists have found that sending us messages about a package you never ordered or a payment that never went through along with a link to a shady website is a quick and easy way to get us to engage on our devices and fall prey to fraud,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement.
The FCC also seeks to close what it describes as the “lead generator loophole,” a tactic used by companies to send users’ information to thousands of marketers using a single consent form. These marketers will then bombard consumers with texts on a variety of topics in which they are unlikely to be interested. For what it’s worth, you can read our guide on how to protect your smartphone from spam calls and texts.
To help cut down on the number of these robotexts, the FCC is seeking public comment on text authentication steps and other measures. The new rules will go into effect six months after they are published in the Federal Register. These rules supplement existing protections against unwanted robocalls provided by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Even with the FCC’s new proposals, it’s important to remember that you should never respond to suspicious texts, click on suspicious links, or reveal personal information via text or online, as per the FCC’s advice.
